Overview

Gross Schijen - Direkte Südkante

Gross Schijen is a granite peak lying in Uri district on the northern side of Oberalp Pass road. Direkte Südkante runs on the right hand side of the sunny South-East face ofGross Schjien, climbing a detached pillar and getting to a notch between this pillar and the main summit; a superb steady route with a quick approach and first-class granite, lying very close to the classic Südkante route.

Getting There

View toward Uri Alps from the summit

From Andermatt, a little town at St.Gotthard northern exit, followthe road to Oberalp Pass as far as the village of Natschen m. 1850, where you must leave the main road and turn to left, following a gravel road and reaching a forking. At the forking turn to right and carry on for some Kilometers, reaching the place named Gutsch. Park the car in a little pull out near the bar closing the road.

From the parking walk along the unsurfaced road for about 5 minutes, then leave the road and take on the left-hand side a steep trail getting briefly the right hand of the face (15 minutes from the parking). Starting point below a steep red wall, cut by a clean crack.

L1 - Climb the magnificent crack to the pillar’s top (5c+)L2 - Straight up, climbing the steep wall over the stance along a little corner and a very hard crack (6b+, 6a with 2 a.p.)L3 – Climb some little walls to a shallow corner, then a superb slab. (6a)L4 – Towards left to a pillar starting with a little overhang, then thin cracks to a stance below a roof (5b).

Direkte Sudkante starting wall

Red slab, Gross Schijen

L5 – Towards left under the roof, then climb a wall with fine cracks (5c). L6 – Another superb pitch along technical corners (6a)L7 – L8 Two easy pitches leading to the summit ridge (4a)L9 – An other easy pitch along the summit ridge, with a final 10 mt abseil reaching a grassy saddle between the pillar and the main summit.From the saddle scramble up about 10-15 minutes to get Gross Schijen main summit, where you can have a satisfactory view over the Uri Range.

Descent: from the top walk down to the grassy saddle, where a grassy track starts towards SE reaching a steep gully which leads to the bottom (three optional abseils).

Red Tape

Gross Schjien ancient summit cross

There are not particular restriction in climbing and hiking. Cars are not allowed beyond Gutsch parking lot.

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.